Chapter 3 — I was once traded for, then became someone they couldn't reach for the rest of my life

The electric door was pushed open. The queen walked in wearing a phoenix-patterned robe, followed by her palace maids and trusted mama. As soon as she saw the messy bed and mattress, she saw the blood on Ta Van So's hand, and her face immediately darkened.

"It's chaos! It's all chaos!"

Her eyes fell on him, without pity, only anger because the chess pieces she had prepared for many years had made a wrong move.

"This palace arranged for you and Viet Nhi to meet, why did you end up getting involved with Ta Van So?"

I look at the Queen. For the first time, I felt that the woman sitting on the phoenix seat was strange. The year I was born, destiny readers said I had the destiny of a phoenix. From then on, the Queen sent people every year to ask for my portrait, telling Trieu Viet every day that I was the woman given to him by heaven. But does she really care about me? What she noticed was that my father held military power. Note that the General Tran Quoc Palace will later stand on the East side of the palace. I bowed my head, suddenly finding everything very funny. The queen took a deep breath, trying to suppress her anger:

"This palace will handle tonight's matter. Later this palace will think of a way for Viet Nhi to see you again. Even if you can't be the main concubine, entering the Eastern palace as a concubine is still your destiny."

Those two words fell gently, like a slap straight to my face. You have abandoned me with your own hands, now I just need to wave my hand, do I still have to thank the German team and step into the Eastern Palace to become a concubine? I slowly stood up straight. The voice was not loud, but every word was clear:

"The goddess would rather grow weeds in the wilderness, than enter the Eastern palace of an ungrateful person."

The Queen's expression immediately changed.

“You dare!”

I looked straight into her eyes.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince personally gave the goddess to Ta Van So. From that moment, the goddess and the Eastern Palace were no longer related."

There was an eerie silence in the palace. At that moment, a eunuch's voice came from outside:

"Your Majesty, Ta Thi Lang asked, can I take his daughter out of the palace yet?"

The two words "lady" make my fingertips tremble a bit. Ta Van So stood outside the palace, his back straight as bamboo, not saying another word, but his appearance was like a wall blocking my face. The Queen in the end still couldn't do anything else. She looked at me for a long time, then coldly said:

"Okay, I'll wait and see how far you can go."

Out of the palace, the Ta palace's carriage was waiting. Inside the car there are soft cushions, an elegant incense burner, and even the corner of the table is covered with fabric to avoid collisions. Ta Van So did not enter the car, just stood outside, keeping the correct distance. On the way back to the residence, the car went very slowly. I sat in the car, listening to the sound of his horse's hooves always beside me, and I couldn't help but feel a pitiful feeling of peace in my heart. Arriving in front of Ta palace, the car curtain was lifted. Ta Van So reached out to me.

"Careful."

I looked at his injured hand, hesitated for a moment, then still placed my hand on it. He helped me get out of the car very firmly. That action is polite and thoughtful, almost giving us the illusion that our life isn't so bad. But immediately after that, he withdrew his hand. His eyes glanced at the tightly closed main door of Ta Palace. Then he said only three words:

“Go through the side door.”

I stopped. The night wind blew, a little warmth was just born inside My heart immediately shut down. The maid next to me asked with red eyes:

"My lady is the sole lady of the general's palace, why does she have to go through the side door?"

Ta Van So was silent for a moment, his voice still calm as before:

“The main gate of Ta Palace once welcomed my wife.”

“That person is Giang Nguyet Bach.”

I looked at that tall main door and suddenly understood. It turned out that the little kindness he showed me was just enough to get me out of the palace. Not enough to give me a righteous name. I put my hands in my sleeves and walked towards the side door. Behind, Ta Van So's voice was very light:

"I'm indulging her."

I don't turn back. Because I know. This is just the beginning. After stepping through the side door of the Ta residence, I realized that the gentleness that Ta Van So showed me on the way back to the residence was never love, nor even pity. That's just the upbringing of a gentleman. He can prepare a soft carriage for me, he can be polite and not get into the carriage, he can also offer his hand to help me get off the carriage, but those things do not mean that he truly puts me in his heart. Because just by stepping to the door of the Ta residence, he can use the three words "go through the side door" to pull me from a bit of illusory warmth back to the cold reality. Butler Ta Palace was waiting inside. Seeing me enter, he quickly bowed and bowed, his attitude seemed very respectful, but his eyes could not hide some embarrassment.

“Madam, your courtyard has been tidied up, please follow this old slave.”

I did not immediately change that way of addressing myself. After all, in front of outsiders, I am now Ta Van So's wife.